The present invention relates to a ballistic shield for use by police, military and the like to afford protection against ballistic threats, e.g., firearms and particularly relates to a ballistic shield designed specifically to enable a single individual to simultaneously deploy a ballistic shield with one hand and efficiently operate a long gun during such deployment using two hands. The invention also relates to methods of using and forming the shield.
Ballistic shields are oftentimes used by police, military and the like to afford protection against ballistic threats such as firearms. A ballistic shield is typically deployed by an individual while advancing toward or into an area of a threat. Conventional ballistic shields are typically part of equipment used by police in high-risk operations, for example, high-risk entries into buildings, apartments or the like, such as, during drug operations, warrant service or the like. The typical ballistic shield is designed to provide frontal protection to the operator, i.e., the individual holding the shield, from about the mid-thigh to the top of the head.
A conventional ballistic shield is generally formed of bulletproof material and usually includes a viewport in an upper portion of the shield such that the operator can view the threat or the area into which the individual is advancing through the viewport. The viewport, however, limits the operator""s range of vision and oftentimes the operator cannot see low objects, for example, when advancing in a room. Further, the inside surface of the shield normally has a handle such that the operator carries the shield with the forearm in a generally vertical position. Because the viewport is formed of a heavy polycarbonate or lexan material, the shield is quite heavy. For example, a conventional shield typically weighs about sixteen pounds. As will be appreciated, one hand of the operator is dedicated to holding the shield while the operator""s other hand remains free to operate the individual""s firearm, i.e., a handgun. Thus, carrying a heavy shield in one hand and manipulating a handgun in the other hand requires substantial strength and dexterity and oftentimes diminishes the individual""s capacity to operate the handgun effectively.
When advancing toward a threat, it will be appreciated that the operator must carry the heavy ballistic shield in a manner to afford frontal protection while at the same time be able to manipulate and operate a handgun around one side of the shield. Several disadvantages when using a handgun in this manner are readily apparent. First, by its nature the handgun is not an accurate weapon. By attempting to fire the handgun around the side of the ballistic shield while holding the shield and viewing the threat through the viewport, there is an inherent further decline in accuracy. Moreover, the handgun is not stable when held to one side of the shield, has substantial recoil which further diminishes its accuracy and can fire only a limited number of rounds. Ideally, a long gun would be preferable for use with a shield. However, operation of a long gun requires use of two hands; hence, an individual has not heretofore been able to hold a shield with one hand to afford frontal ballistic protection while simultaneously operating a long gun with two hands.
In typical high-risk entries where a long gun is desired, conventional tactics deploy an operator carrying a conventional ballistic shield as the lead or number one individual in a line or stack of individuals behind the shield and lead individual. The second, or number two individual, may carry a long gun. The protection afforded by the ballistic shield, however, must extend to the second and other individuals behind the individual carrying the shield. Typically, therefore, the individuals in the stack advance with and very closely behind the number one individual. If the number two individual operates a long gun, that individual must deploy the long gun around the side of the number one individual and the shield. This exposes the number two individual to the threat. Accordingly, there is a need to provide a ballistic shield which enables the operator to gain ballistic protection by deploying a ballistic shield in one hand and simultaneously enabling that same operator to efficiently operate the long gun with two hands.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a ballistic shield affording ballistic protection to the torso of an individual carrying the shield while simultaneously enabling that individual to efficiently operate a long gun using two hands while holding the shield in one hand. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9clong gunxe2x80x9d means any rifle, submachine gun or any other weapons system requiring operation or efficient operation using two hands. To accomplish the foregoing, there is provided a ballistic shield, preferably formed of a pressed polyethylene, which,affords frontal protection to the torso of an individual holding the shield and which provides a combination long gun support and shield support handle such that the individual can support the shield and the long gun with a single hand while operating the long gun using both hands. The ballistic shield includes a shallow V-groove, preferably a notch, along the top margin of the shield adjacent to which a long gun/shield/support/handle is disposed along the inside surface of the shield. To use the shield, the support/handle is located and configured relative to the shield for grasping by one hand to hold the shield in front of the operator to afford full torso frontal protection while the same hand is positioned to simultaneously grip and support the forward end of the barrel of the long gun. By this location and configuration of the support/handle, the long gun may be extended over the V-groove or notch of the shield with the stock of the long gun butting the individual""s shoulder. The individual""s other hand, of course, is free to operate the long gun.
A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a strap secured at one end to an inside surface of the shield at variable adjustable locations above the shield""s center of gravity. In use, the opposite end of the strap is grasped by the individual""s one hand, or looped about the individual""s wrist. The strap may be used as part of the operator""s support for the shield, but is primarily useful to reload or otherwise operate the long gun. To reload, the individual""s hand grip about the support/handle and long gun is released and the shield is supported by the individual""s hand or wrist holding the strap, at all times maintaining frontal ballistic protection. That same hand can then be used to change magazines on the long gun while the other hand supports the long gun with partial support of the long gun being provided by the support/handle. The operator may also opt to drop the long gun to a sling mode and then transition to a pistol which may be deployed in the same fashion as the long gun.
In another aspect of the present invention, the shield, which may be formed integral, is preferably formed in three discrete parts, i.e., a central section and two wings. The wings and central section are formed of ballistic material and the inside margins of the wings underlie the outer margins of the central section thus affording and maintaining full frontal ballistic protection. Elastic bands are spaced from one another along the outside and inside of the shield and along its vertical extent to secure the central portion and the wings to one another. By using adjustable elastic bands, the lateral extent or configuration of the shield can be changed, rendering the shield selectively wider or narrower. For example, when traversing hallways or narrow aisles, it may be desirable to adjust the lateral extent of the shield to provide a narrow shield such that the shield can be maintained in front of the operator. In more open areas, the shield can be adjusted to provide a wider shield, i.e., afford greater frontal protection for the individual""s torso.
Further, each of the wings is formed in a compound curve, i.e., a convex/concave surface, in a lateral direction. This shape enhances the ability of the shield to stop a bullet. That is, the compound curve enables a greater area of the surface of the shield for direct frontal exposure. This enables the shield to meet a bullet at 90xc2x0 rather than at an angle which would otherwise permit a ricochet. Further, the outer side edges of the shield are in a generally scalloped configuration. This affords additional protection for the upper body and thigh area of the individual""s torso while reducing the weight of the shield and without substantial reduction of ballistic protection in the individual""s mid-body region.
It will be appreciated that the long gun is located in a firing position over the upper margin, i.e., in the V-shaped shallow groove or notch of the shield. In that condition, the individual""s head is in a more exposed position when facing the threat. To afford ballistic protection to the individual""s head, a ballistic helmet with a transparent ballistic visor is provided. The visor has a concave curve along at least one side and lower margin to facilitate the handling of the long gun in the area close to the individual""s hand. That is, the curved lower margin of the visor enables the individual to sight the long gun without interference between the visor of the helmet and the long gun. To complete the ballistic protection, the lower portion of the individual""s body also has shin and knee guards formed of a ballistic material.
In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided ballistic protection apparatus comprising a ballistic shield having a body formed at least in part of ballistic material capable of stopping a bullet, the shield body configured to provide frontal ballistic protection at least to the torso of an individual when the shield is located in front of the individual, the shield body having a support on one side thereof for mounting a long gun and configured to enable an individual to simultaneously grasp the long gun and the support by one hand with a barrel of the long gun projecting from the shield body to an opposite side of the shield from the individual, the support being located on the shield body to enable the individual to carry the shield in and grasp the long gun by the one hand and simultaneously effectively operate the long gun using both hands.
In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided ballistic protection apparatus comprising a ballistic shield having a body formed at least in part of ballistic material capable of stopping a bullet, the shield body configured to provide frontal ballistic protection at least to the torso of an individual when the shield is located in front of the individual, the shield body including a central section and a pair of side sections on respective opposite sides of the central section maintaining a ballistic front, and fasteners for releasably securing the sections and the central section to one another.
In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a method of deploying a ballistic shield and a long gun by a single individual wherein the ballistic shield includes a shield body formed of ballistic material capable of stopping a bullet and configured to provide frontal ballistic protection to the torso of an individual holding the shield, the shield having a long gun support/handle comprising the steps of simultaneously grasping both the long gun support/handle mounted on the shield and the long gun carried by the support/handle with a single hand to support the shield and in part support the long gun on the long gun support and operating the long gun with the other hand while supporting the shield and at least part of the long gun by the one hand.
In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a ballistic shield having a support/handle for supporting the shield and at least part of a long gun by one hand of an individual comprising providing a central section and a pair of discrete side sections all formed of ballistic material and fastening the side sections and the central section to one another to form a ballistic shield affording frontal ballistic protection to the individual.